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My Davis FamilyCornelius Davis (c1805-after 1880) and Tabitha Wallace? of NC (Brunswick, Columbus) Introduction - A History of my research on this family My Davis Family - Data on my Davis ancestors IntroductionI discovered my Davis heritage after doing research on my Watson family for awhile. I knew my Great grandmother was Zadie Idell Watson (wife of Thomas Lide Turner) and tried to backtrack her from there. I found her on the 1900 census in Columbus Co, NC with her parents William and Mary C. Watson in Ransom Township. Zadie's death certificate (1963) gave her parents names as "William H. Watson and Mary Catherine Watson", but didn't give her mother's maiden name. On the 1900 census, William Watson and Mary C. Watson were listed as having been married for 18 years, so in 1900 that would put their marriage date ca 1881/1882. After a visit to the Columbus County Court House, I found the marriage of my William Watson and his wife Mary. It was dated 16 Nov 1882, he was listed as "W.H. Watson" son of Joseph and Sarah Watson and his wife was "Mary C. Davis" daughter of unknown and Mahala Davis. They were married at the home of Neil Davis Finding out she was a Davis was a mixed feeling. First, it was great to find her maiden name, but "Davis" is so common, I figured I'd be in for a tough search. I wasn't sure why Mary's father was listed as "Unknown" on her marriage record, but I thought I'd start with the 1880 census. I started in Columbus Co, NC in Ransom Township (where they lived in 1900), and found only one Davis family there, and it was them. The head of household was Cornelius Davis, age 75, he was a widower. His household contained a daughter Mahala Davis age 30, listed as single, and as his daughter. Next was Mary C. Davis age 14 (this was my Mary!), and she was listed as "daughter" also of Cornelius (though she was actually his granddaughter, not his daughter), and the next name was Thomas M. Davis age 10, listed as "Son". "Neal" is a nickname for Cornelius. Well, if Mary C. Davis was a daughter of Mahala Davis who was single in 1880, then she must have been born out of wedlock, which would explain why her father was listed as "Unknown" on her marriage bond. I back tracked the family to the 1870 census. I found that the "Ransom" township area was part of Brunswick County, NC at that time (ceded to Columbus County in 1877). I found Cornelius Davis listed in Brunswick County, NC in North West Township, with several of his children with him, but I didn't find any trace of Mahala and Mary C. Davis. They were living elsewhere at that time, I suppose. I back tracked the family to 1860 and found them in Brunswick County, NC in North West Township, at this time Cornelius' wife was still alive. Her name was Tabitha and she was age 55 (same as Cornelius). She was born in SC. In the very next household was the Henry Wallace family, he was 8 years younger than Tabitha and also born in SC. None of the other neighbors nearby were from SC. This makes me think that Henry Wallace could be Tabitha's brother, making her a Wallace. But this is all I'm basing that on, so I need more evidence before I can commit to that theory. Mahala Davis was home with her parents in 1860 listed as age 18. Back tracking again to 1850, I found them in Brunswick County, NC in Northwest District, listed as "Neal Davis" this time age 45, wife Tabitha age 40. Mahala was home with them, age 5. Back tracking to the 1840 census, "Neal Davis" was listed in Brunswick County, NC as head of household. Interestingly, in 1840, his entire household was listed in the "Free Colored" columns, and not the White columns. However, the 1850 through 1880 census records listed the family as "White" every time. The 1840 census was either a mistake, or perhaps their was some mixed blood in the family (either Black or Indian). There were a few other Davis families in Brunswick County who fell into the "Free Colored" category, so perhaps they are related somehow. Backing up to the 1830 census, I didn't find Neal Davis listed, though he would have been 25 at that point.
My Davis ancestorsMy earliest known ancestor Cornelius "Neal" Davis was born ca 1804/1805 in NC, presumably in the area near the Delco community on Livingston Creek in what is now Ransom Township in Columbus County, but was then part of Brunswick County (until 1877). Neal Davis married Tabitha (Wallace?) ca 1832 in Brunswick Co, NC and they lived their entire lives in that same area, she dying there during the 1860's, and he sometime after 1880. Their daughter Mahala Davis was born ca 1844/45 in the same area (then Brunswick County). She never married, but had at least one child out of wedlock, my ancestor Mary C. Davis, born in 1866. Mary C. Davis married William H. Watson in 1882 in Columbus Co, NC. William H. Watson and Mary. C. Davis Watson lived on Livingston Creek near the Delco community in Columbus Co, NC, on land deeded to them by her grandfather Cornelius Davis. They were still there by 1900, though sometime ca 1914 they moved to Mullins, Marion County, SC for a little while, but apparently went back to NC after that. Their daughter Zadie Idell Watson (1896-1963) married Thomas Lide Turner in 1914 in Mullins, SC and they are my Great Grandparents. Both died before I was born. They are buried at the McMillan cemetery, near Mullins, SC. I have set up several web pages, each containing documentation, for different branches of this family. Follow the links below for more information. For information on other Davis families within my area of interest (Brunswick and Columbus counties only) but who are not related to my Davis family, go to my Davis Families page My Davis Family:Cornelius Davis (c1805) and Tabitha --- (c1810)
Last Updated January 15, 2006 Davis Page (Main) | Davis Families Home | Surnames | Search Engine | Contact Me
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